Grain-scouring machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. R; BEAVER.

GRAIN SGOURING MACHINE. No. 560,612. A P7atentedMay 19, 1896.

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' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.l

E. R; DRAVER.

GRAIN SGOURING MACHINE. 4 No. 560,612. Pate 13g@ May 19; 1896.

Nrrnn l STATES ATnN'r rr'rcn.

GRAIN-SCOURING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,612, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed October 28, 1895.`

in the county of Boxbutte and State of Ne` braska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Securing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved scouringmachine especially designed for use in scouring grain, but also capable of application to other materials.

To this end my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters and figures referring to like parts- Figure 1 is a view, chiefiy in central vertical section, from front to rear or left to right through the entire machine, but with some parts shown in elevation and with others broken away. Fig.` 2 is a horizontal section on the line a9 of Fig. l with the brush shown partly in plan and partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the parts which would appear on the section-line x2 m2 of Fig. 2 with the brush removed and other parts broken away, looking outward. Fig. 4 is a true section on the line x2 x2 of Fig. 2 with the brush removed, the eoncave'loosened up at one end, and the spacing-strips spread apart at one end. Fig. 5 is an inside plan view of a part of the concave when spread out latwise. Fig. 6 is a detail in section on the line w3 ac3 of Eig. 5.

a represents the floor-line of a room in a mill or other building. a represents suitable framing-pieces, which, taken together with the front wall a2, the rear wall a3, end walls ligand top a5, constitute a closed box or casing when set on the floor. 'Within the said casing forward of its center is mounted a cylindrical or drumlike brush Z9. The said brush Z9 is secured to a shaft Z9', which is j ournaled in suitable bearings fixed to the framepieces and extends outward beyond the end walls a4 of the casing. One end of the shaft Serial No. 567,064. (No model.)

Z9 is provided with a pulley Z92 for the appli cation of power thereto from any suitable source to drive the machine. The opposite end of the shaft Z9 is provided with a small pulley Z93 anda large pulley Z91 for transmitting motion to other parts, as will presently appear.

To the inside surfaces of the end walls a1 of the casing, directly opposite the brushdrum heads, are iixed a pair of spacingheads Zr", with which coperate a series of flexible spacing-strips Z96 to hold a concave Z9/7 at the proper radial distance from a common center concentric with the drum-like brush. The concave Z9'1 is provided with lugs Z98, which are engaged by draw-bolts Z99, passing through supporting-bars Z910, extending parallel with the axis of the brush-cylinder and working at their ends in grooves or guideways Z911, formed in the end walls a4 of the casing. Thumb-nuts Z912 engage with the screw-threaded ends of the draw-bolts Z99 above the bars Z910 and serve as a means of drawing the concave Z97 tightly against the spacing-strips Z96 and the fixed spacing-heads Z95. The shaft Z9 passes outward through holes Z913 in the spacing-heads Z95, and the parts of the said spacing-heads Z95 below the centers Z913 or the axial line of the shaft Z9 are formed with peripheral portions, which are concentric with the brush drum or cylinder. The spacing-strips Z96 are made of material, such as hoop-iron or leather, which is sufficiently flexible to permit the same to readily conform to the shape of the spacing-heads Z95. Hence by interposing a suitable number of the said spacingstrips Z96 between the concave Z97 and the spacing-heads Z95 the said concave may be set at any desired radial distance from the axis of the brush-drum shaft, and be nevertheless always concentric with the brush-drum 'when drawn tightly against the spacing-strips Z9 and the heads Z95 by the draw-bolts Z99 and the nuts Z912. The fact that the bars Z910 are mounted in the grooves or guideways Z911 permits the same to be set nearer to or farther away from the spacing-heads Z95, as required, to bring the pulling strain from the bolts b9 on the concave in the proper lines. Zhen the machine is iirst built or a new brush is applied, spacing-strips Z96 will be used to the largest number. As the brush-filaments Wear down at their ends, one after the other of the external spacing-strips b will be removed from time to time and the concave be drawn inward, as required, to effect the necessary compensation. This construction therefore affords a means of effecting a relative radial adjustment of the concave and brush with respect to their common center whenever so required to compensate for the wearing down of the brush-filaments.

The concave bl is made of sheet metal, and its interior surface is provided with centrallyperforated concave pits or depressions D14, as best shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 0. The depressions 1214 are staggered in respect to each other and serve as a means for 11p-ending and turning over the grain under the cooperation of the rotary brush. They also serve as a means for gathering and permitting the outward passage of the dust and dirt through the central perforations of the same under the action of the brush.

A piece of sheet metal Bl5 depends from a partition-board b1, with its lower edge overlapping the upper edge of the concave at the back of the brush. The partition Z916 extends to a junction with the rear wall c of a feedhopper, the forward wall c of which is cut away and is provided with a pivoted feeddoor or section c3, which is normally held in its most nearly closed position by a counterweighted lever c4 and link c5. A feed-roller c, journaled in suitable bearings fixed to the casing, cooperates with the door c3 to form an automatic forced-feed device to deliver the grain in the properly-graduated quantities to the brush and concave. The grain is supplied to the feed-hopper through the supply-chute c7 or in any other suitable way. One end of the feed-roller shaft c projects through the casin g and is provided with a suitable pulley e8, which receives motion from the brush-shaft through a cross-belt c, engaging with the small pulley b3, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. An inclined board 010 insures the proper delivery from the feed-roller c6 to the brush and concave.

Directly rearward of the feed-hopper is located a fan ff. with a pulley f2, which receives motion from the rotary brush through a cross-belt f3, en` gaging with the large pulley b on the brushshaft b'. The partition Z210 is provided with a passage b1?, controlled by a wind-board Us,

which is securable in any set position by any suitable locking device g. The front wall a2 of the casin g is provided with alattice section a6 below the brush-level.

The partition g divides the lower part of the casing into a front compartment 1, the upper end of which is directly below the forward margin of the-concave Z, in position to catch; the grain as it passes over the forward edge of the concave, under the action of the brush,

and into a rear compartment 2 at the back ofI The forward comthe brush and concave. partment 1 is shown as provided with inclined The fan-shaft is provided boards g4, constituting a hopper-bottom, and the rear compartment 2 is shown as provided with an inclined board g5, which serves both as a deilector for the forced current of air and as a collecting-surface for any sand or heavy dirt which may be brushed through the concave and not carried off by the forced current of air.

The brush, fan, and feed-roller rotate in the respective directions indicated by the arrows on the said respective parts. The brush is driven, preferably, at about two hundred and fifty revolutions per minute. The feed-roller moves relatively slow and the fan moves relatively fast-at, say, one thousand revolutions, or more, per minute, according to the amount of suction which it is desired to produce.

Vith the construction and arrangement of the parts hereinbefore described it is obvious that the grain as supplied with an automatic and graduated feed to the drum and concave will be subjected simultaneously to the scouring action of the brush against the concave as a bed and to the forced current of air drawn under and over an d between the brush and the concave under the suction produced by the fan. As the grain passes the concave pits or depressions b1* the kernels will be upended and turned over under the action of the brush. All sides of the kernels are therefore subjected to the scouring action of the brush, over and over again, throughout the entire course of the grains travel from the receiving to the delivery side of the concave. The dust set free by the brush is gathered up and carried off by the forced current of air, through the fan and fan-case, to any desired point of delivery. The grain collected by the hopper-boards g4 may be directed off therefrom through suitable spouting (not shown) to any point desired. By actual usage I have demonstrated the efficiency of this machine for scouring grain.

It will be understood of course that changes might be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. The combination with a spacing-head and concave securable thereto, of one or more removable spacing-strips interposed between the peripheral margin of said head and the interior of said concave, whereby by varying the number or thickness of said spacing-strips said concave maybe given radial adjustment concentric to said head, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pair of spacingheads and a concave secured thereto at its ends, of one or more spacing-strips interposed between the peripheral margins of said heads and the adjacent ends of said concave,whereby said concave may be given radial adjustment concentric to said heads, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the spacing-heads IOO IIO

b5 and the concave Z1?, of the HeXible spacingstrips h6 interposed and clamped between the peripheral margins of said heads and the adjacent ends of said concave, whereby said concave may be given radial adjustment concentric to said heads, substantially as described. j

4. The combination With the spacing-h eads b5 provided Withxed projections b1", of the concave 127 provided with perforated lugs 198, the draw-bolts b Working through said lugs bg and projections Z210, the nuts D12 on said drawbolts, and the fiexible spacing-strips interposed and removably clamped between the peripheral margins of said head and the ends 15 of said concave, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EMIL R. DRAVER. Witnesses:

H. C. DRAVER, H. V. SCHAUPP. 

